september

Several years ago my neighbor came home from a California vacation.  He raved about how much fun they had had, how perfect the weather had been, and how hard it was to come back home.  In the background of this conversation were mountains blanketed with orange and yellow.  The grass was still green and soft.  The zinnias vibrant pink and orange, and the sky a neon blue.  Cool enough for a jacket, but warm enough for short sleeves too: whatever you looked good in was just right for the day.  I remarked that luckily it was September in Utah so the transition should be an easy one.  He said, "I can't enjoy the fall because I know what's coming."

One marvelous miracle about cancer is the simple appreciation it has given me for the now.  Regardless of what is ahead, I have today and all it's beauties.  I can enjoy days or moments or weeks for just what they are and not what they could be or will be.  

And in September this is the easiest.  This September particularly.

Here are some of the good things of the month captured on my phone:

Sept. 2nd.  My dad brought over my mom's famous cherry pie before the big scan results.  I had pie for breakfast for two weeks.  I know that is very wrong, but it brought me all kind of joy in the mornings. 

  This is before the TIL trial.  The tumor is on the left, right under the liver, dark and invading.

Sept. 3rd.  The tumor is smaller and less menacing.  The pictures aren't exactly on the same plane, but pretty close.

Happy day at the Huntsman!!!  Cannot believe my luck.

Sept. 6th.  Ginger plays at the net.

Finally some fuzz on top.  You should see it now, it's growing like crazy.

Apple picking at Grandma's house.

Sept. 7th.  We love all our garden produce around here in September.  Eating healthy is just natural right now (unless a pie shows up on your counter).

Sept. 7th.  My sister Kari found monarch caterpillars in her front yard this year.  I remember watching this magic in my grandma's basement as a child.  This day we had a caterpillar, a chrysalis, and a fresh butterfly.

Miracle.

Sept. 7th.  My lover of outdoors, free time, nature, and fall.  Sam has had a great month.

Football season and the Cougars are winning.  Josh has also had a great month. 

Many evenings at the rope swing.

Sept. 12th.  Josh turn 35!

I think they stood by him stiffly for a picture so I said, "Come on, at least touch him!"  This is what you get.

Sept. 13th.  How can we get kids to bed on time on nights like these?

Sometimes when the boys are in school we come out side to smell the air and watch the clouds.

Sept. 14th.  A dinner in the mountains.

Sept. 20th.  A Cache Valley Utah sunrise.  This is where I grew up.  It still feels like home.

Josh did the Top of Utah Marathon (his first!).  He not only stayed with the pacer, but talked to him almost the whole way!  His wife had cancer and so they had that bond.  Josh said he wasn't tired until the last mile.  What the heck?  

If you need some inspiration, go cheer at the finishing line of a marathon.  Very cool.

This is usually what I wear on my head, by the way.  A scarf and then a hat.  Places like church I will wear my wig, I didn't have any pictures of that to pull up. 

Sept. 22nd.

Pastel, patchy mornings.

Sept. 27th.  Weekend with the cousins.  Rainy day exercise at Josh's yoga studio.

Sept. 28th.  This is what Josh gets for sleeping during church.  Luckily he tried to cross his legs and discovered the prank before he had to walk up to the pulpit to say the closing prayer.

Sept. 30th.  September is queen of the year, and this was her crown.